Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis has condemned the “alarming scale of misinformation online,” after Russian social media falsely claimed the Rabbi had called for all mosques in the UK to be closed in the wake of far-right riots.
Mirvis called the fake story a “pernicious lie” and implored “all users of social media to think critically and act responsibly”.
Imam Qari Asim, a trustee of Peace Matters and Hope Note Hate, came to Mirvis’ defence. “The Chief Rabbi has not called for any Mosques to be closed,” he shared in a post on social media.
Asim and Mirvis, alongside other faith leaders in the UK, recently came together to issue a joint statement condemning the violence across the country this week.
“We have seen anti-Muslim hatred and the targeting of mosques; asylum seekers and refugees attacked; violence directed towards the police and private property, all of which are a stain on our national moral conscience,” reads the letter. It continues: “Every British citizen has a right to be respected and a responsibility to respect others, so that together we can build a cohesive and harmonious society for all”.
The five faith leaders, including the Chief Rabbi, pledged to work with the government and all sections of society “towards a constructive and compassionate dialogue on immigration and social cohesion”.
Other Jewish and Interfaith organisations have also spoken out against the far-right riots over the last week. Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies, denounced “lawlessness and thuggery”. He said: “Attacks on Muslims, black people, members of other minorities, and our brave police officers, are totally unacceptable, and we stand in solidarity with everyone affected”.
Olgha Robinson, Assistant Editor at BBC Verify, said channels are “routinely” churning out fake news about the riots across the UK, with the story about the Chief Rabbi only the latest piece of misinformation spread through Russian channels.
The riots, which began after the stabbings in Southport last week, were spurred by rumours on social media, which falsely identified the attacker as a Muslim asylum seeker.
